Gergiyev takes over Bolshoi Theater

Russian war of aggression - Gergiyev takes over Bolshoi Theater

The internationally renowned conductor Valery Gergiev, who is a friend of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, is to take over the management of the world-famous Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. The 70-year-old has been appointed General Director of Russia's largest state theater for a period of five years, announced head of government Mikhail Mishustin in Moscow on Friday. Gergiyev also runs the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Putin's home city, which is also internationally renowned for its guest performances. He is also the founder of several festivals.

Last year, Gergiyev had to step down as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra because he had not distanced himself from Putin's war against Ukraine. Following the government's announcement, the previous general director of the Bolshoi Theater, Vladimir Urin, was relieved of his post at his own request. In contrast to Gergiyev, he was considered an opponent of the war against Ukraine.

"I am saying goodbye today because today is my last day of work at the Bolshoi Theater," said the 76-year-old Urin at a premiere celebration in front of the company, according to a video circulated on the internet. A spokeswoman for the theater confirmed the authenticity of the video to the German Press Agency on Friday.

Just two days after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which Putin ordered on February 24, 2022, Urin and other cultural figures signed a call to end the war. Many Bolshoi artists had ended their engagement at the theater at their own request or by force due to the war and the resulting Western sanctions.

Fear of political persecution

As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the chief conductor of the Bolshoi, Tugan Sochijew, left his post in March 2022. He had never supported armed conflicts and had always felt with the victims of all conflicts in the 20 years of his musical career, emphasized Sochijew, who had been in the post since 2014.

Director Kirill Serebrennikov, whose award-winning ballet "Nureyev" was removed from the Bolshoi's repertoire, also fled Russia. The ballet about the gay Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev, who died of Aids, had been removed from the repertoire due to the ban on "propaganda of non-traditional values". Serebrennikov had sharply criticized Russia's war. Like many artists, he left his homeland for fear of political persecution in order to be able to work freely abroad without the censorship that was widespread in the cultural sector.

At a performance by Gergiyev at the Bolshoi Theater on Friday, the government rejected fears that the Moscow and St. Petersburg theaters could be merged. "That will not happen. The Bolshoi and the Mariinsky will continue to exist as they have existed up to now," said deputy head of government Tatyana Golikova. Gergiyev himself said that cooperation between the two theaters should be expanded, for example through mutual guest performances.

Unprecedented accumulation of offices

The prominent Putin friend had recently responded to speculation about his appointment by saying that he had enough to do and was not looking for more work. He is now to manage the Bolshoi in parallel with the Mariinsky, where he has been General Director since 1988 and Artistic Director since 1996.

The Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg announced that Gergiyev would also continue his work as a conductor, an unprecedented appointment even by Russian standards. He is on the podium three to five times a week in the current repertoire. "There is no doubt that the maestro will divide his attention between the two cities quickly and very competently," the theater announced. Putin had awarded his friend Gergiyev the title of "Hero of Labor", among other things.

The previous General Director Urin had led the theater with the largest ballet company in the world and the internationally renowned opera and concert division since 2013. His contract would have been valid until 2027. The media had recently reported that Putin himself had insisted on Urin's dismissal. Urin said on Friday that the past ten-plus years had been very fortunate for him. However, he did not comment on the reasons for his departure.